The Shrine Mosque of Lake Worth
(Published Aug. 20, 2002, NW Times-Record)

Contributed by Kenneth Klein
Staff Writer, NW Times-Record

Do you remember the old Shrine Mosque which stood high on the wooded bluffs on Lake Worth's eastern shore on what is now known as Cahoba Drive? Probably not. Only a few oldtimers, scattered through the area, may have been privileged to remember this. It opened on July 4th, 1919, and was destroyed by fire in January 1927.

Although it was called a Mosque, it wasn't used for religious activities. It was called the Shrine Mosque because the Shriners, who we know from the Shrine Circus, built the building to hold their meetings.

It was a huge wooden structure, some six stories high, and contained several large ballrooms. The interior rooms reflected a very arabesque style, typical of Shriners. When it wasn't used for Masonic or Shiner activities, it was often leased out to private parties for dances, parties, encampments, etc. The Tokio and Ramblers Clubs of Fort Worth and Dallas held dances there.

It was built on what was called Reynolds Point after George T. Reynolds, a nearby property owner, but renamed to Mosque Point once the Mosque was completed. The high bluff still gives a commanding view of Lake Worth. Follow Cahoba Drive north of Loop 820, and you can't miss it. Watch for oncoming traffic. The road makes a sharp turn at the point.

The insurance money from the fire enabled the Masonic groups to purchase the land at the corner of Henderson and Lancaster, where the existing Fort Worth Temple remains today. The remaining salvageable timbers and other items were used for the Lodge.

In 1934, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) erected a shelter on the site. Today, it's known as Mosque Point Park, an excellent vantage point to watch the Lake Worth Sailing Club's Sunday Regattas.

Brilliant sunsets and the cool breeze drifting up the bluff from the water are just as inviting today as they were when the bands played, men wore top hats, and the ladies in long gowns stepped gracefully from horse drawn carriages.

Bibliography

Dallas News, Bill McClanahan (illustration)
A History of the Masonic Temple of Fort Worth, James Hunt Evans, Jr. (1977)
A Handwritten History of The Mosque, Henry Ward Collier, Jr. (1983)